Transfer Analog MiniDV to a MacBook Pro with Firewire 800

If your like me who still uses an Analog miniDV to capture videos on special events, since early 2008 the MacBook Pro now uses a Firewire 800 and went away with the Firewire 400. You would need special cable or adapter to get the job done.

The last MacBook Pro I used which was issued to me when I was working for the local government was an older model around (2007) not the new unibody. Port available to me back then was the Firewire 400. The cable I used was a 4pin to 6 pin to convert my analog miniDV to digital.

Here is my Sony HC 32 cradle for my analog miniDV where I hook up the 4 pin to the second slot marked DV.

So you can either get an adapter that converts Firewire 400 to Firewire 800.

Or get a 4pin to 9 pin Firewire cable.

I got the 4pin to 9pin cable which cost P900( around $21-$22) in a store I found in SM Megamall.

Now I started to convert all those analog miniDVs I have collected and planning to get a digital camcorder in the future or a point and shoot camera that shoots HD videos.

6 thoughts on “Transfer Analog MiniDV to a MacBook Pro with Firewire 800”

  1. Hi, found your blog very helpful, I got a jvc mini-dv camcorder and I still have to avail mini-dv to dvd transfer service which is very expensive, I would like to ask in what store did you bought your 4pin to 9 pin firewire cable in sm megamall, because it’s quite hard to find here in the philippines…

    Thank You! 🙂

    1. im glad it helped you out, sorry but i cant recall the name of the store but its in the cyberzone area in sm megamall they have different kinds of cables for the mac.

  3. Hey there,

    I have a Panasonic NV-GS500 camcorder, and just purchased this cable.

    http://www.sandberg.it/product/FireWire-Universal-Cable-Kit

    When i connect my camcorder it doesnt register on my Macbook Pro at all. Its a Macbook Pro 10.6.8.

    Any idea how come it doesnt show up at all? I use Adobe Premiere, but tried iMovie as well.

    I need to get my raw footage from my min-dv tapes onto the Mac for editing.

    Is 4,6, or 9 pin Firewire relevant?

    Thanks.

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